Interlocking silt accumulator assemblage



April 6, 1943. H. M. SMITH j 2,315,822

INTERLOCKING SILT. A*CCUMULATO`R ASSEMBLAGE 'l Filed May 1e, 1940 3 sheets-sheet 3 Vith (Ittqr-neg Patented Apr. 6, 1943 antan INTERLOCKING SILT ACCUMULATOR ASSEMBLAGE Harry M. Smith, Valley, Nebr. Application May 16, 1940, Serial No. 335,529

(Cl. (S1-3) 2 Claims.

This invention relates to silt accumulators and has for an object to provide means which when placed in silt bearing streams, the banks of which are composed primarily of earth prevent said banks from becoming eroded and the soil thereof washed away whereby valuable agriculturalland is conserved.

Another object of the invention is to provide an assemblage of accumulator sections so cooperatively arranged in a silt bearing stream that accretions to land are caused thereby and said stream is confined in a fixed channel whereby treated streams are prevented from meandering promiscuously out of their normal beds and destroying farm land.

A further object of the invention is to provide current deector sections the parts of each of which are so proportionately arranged that when placed in a stream in a certain manner and as herein later described that each section is prevented from rolling over and out of alignment with other sections when water under pressure is applied thereto during use.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a particular type of section having characteristics cooperative in a particular assemblage of a quantity of said sections, which when arranged in a particular manner with respect to each other and with respect to a bank and bed of a flowing stream cause the said assemblage to cooperate for the above stated purposes more advantageously than heretofore.

Another object of the invention is to provide an assemblage of said sections and cables the latter being so arranged that said cables cooperate with the particular construction of the sections and prevent the latter from becoming moved or rolled over at times when abnormal pressures are applied thereto at the tops of the sections such as is occasioned by rain cloud bursts and freshets which sometimes suddenly and abnormally fill a stream bed with rapidly flowing Water and debris.

A further object of the invention is to provide a section the construction of which is such that parts thereof can be anchored firmly into the sloping bank of a stream for securing said section in an operative position.

A primary object of the invention is to provide a silt accumulator, the sections oi which are so constructed that when a section is placed in a position of use and abutted against a neXt adjacent like section that said sections are thereby locked together and an installation is certain of operation whereby subsequent inspection, repairs and expenditure of further labor expense is obviated.

Other and further objects and advantages of the invention will be obvious from the following detailed description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the silt accumulator of the present invention shown in a position of use with respect to the bed and bank of a stream, said bed and bank being in vertical section, certain later described stay braces employed being omitted from said view and detents which interlock with other parts being depicted therein.

Figure 2 is a front elevation of a section of said accumulator.

Figure 3 is a side elevation of the section shown in Figure 2'. f

Figure 4 is a top plan view of said section.

Figure 5 is a diagrammatic illustration of an assemblage of a large number of said sections disposed in a iiowing stream which provide said accumulator in conjunction with cables and an anchor employed.

As heretofore practiced in the art numerous silt depositing expedients have been employed V which when placed in streams in accordance with the prior practice did not provide an interlocking construction whereby gaps would form and some of the debris such as brush, sticks, tumble weeds and the flotsam and jetsam common to silt bearing streams would pass through said gaps and before a sufficient amount of silt had been deposited against and at the down stream side thereof to anchor said expedients securely enough to resist abnormal conditions occasioned by cloud bursts and the like whereby land was often not built up at the down stream side of said expedients. Also the arrangement of the parts of silt accumulators heretofore has been such that at times when the level of a stream would suddenly arise during a sudden abnormal fall of rain that certain oi several parts of said prior practice accumulators would be Washed down stream and become dislodged from an initial placement and normal Working position thereof. Also said prior practice did not provide a device which can be advantageously placed on a sloping bank for catching said debris between the top of the bank of a stream and the adjacent end of an accumulator, whereby at times when a stream bank was composed particularly of sandy soil said bank would wash out and a channel would form around said end of said accumulator permitting Water to flow past said end often destroying the entire value of the installation by causing a flow of water where the same was not useful and often actually of damage.

Also as heretofore practiced the parts of silt accumulators when placed in a stream have been joined together by means of numerous wires or the like which necessitates time and labor for said joining, the latter often breaking whereby it has been necessary for repeated inspections, repairs and additions to the accumulators of the prior art and the present invention aims to obviate said undesirable prior practices.

Referring now to the drawings and rst to Figure 1, each section of the assemblage includes three primary portions or frames generally indicated at A, B and C, said frames each consisting of not less than two metallic spaced Vapart side rails II) and I'I for the section A, like rails I0 and I I' for the frame B and like rails I0" and II" for the frame C. Between the side rails of the frame A a transversely disposedstrut I2 is provided adjacent common ends of said rails and a like but longer strut I3 between the other and opposite ends of said rails. The 'struts I2 and I3 are disposed away from the extreme ends of the rails whereby certain ends of the latter are adapted to longitudinally 'and inclined- 4ly embed into the soil at the bottom of a flowing stream as silt deposits or accumulatesthereon. Also said ends may be manually inserted into a bank of said stream. Similar struts I2 and I3 are provided for the frame B and like struts I2 and I3" for the frame C.

Intermediate the end struts I2 and I3 each iframe A, B and C is preferably provided ywith a transversely disposed strut I 4, said struts being Welded, riveted or otherwise suitably secured to their respective rails.

Each frame A, B, and C is preferably of a different length, the frame A being of greatest length and the frame C of substantially lesser length and the frame B of a length approximately' intermediate the lengths ofthe framesA and C.

As shown in Figure 1, the struts I3 are preferably longer than the struts I2 whereby the'side rails are preferably disposed convergently toward each other from the struts I 3 toward the struts I2, said convergence being such that a frame A may be inserted through and between the side rails` of a frame B and moved towards the endstrut I2 of a frame B for engaging said frames together; ywhereupon the side rails of the frames A and B are welded, riveted, bolted or otherwise Vsuitably secured together whereby they abut and in'a manner whereby about three-fourths of the length of the frame A is'disposed at one side of the frame B and preferably about one-third of the iengtn of the frame B is disposed at one side 'of the frame A and said frames A and B` define a cross in plan, said cross configuration `preferably dening a latin cross approximately except that one arm of said cross provided by the frame B is longer than the other arm of said frame B.

The frame rail I0 of the frame C 'is then disposed in the crotch of the cross formed 'by the joined frames A and B, the other rail I I" of the frame C being disposed against ther rai1s of the frame B whereby the frame rail I I of the 'frame C is disposed adjacent the narrower end of the frame B and in a manner whereby approximately equal portions of the frame C are disposed at each side of said crossed frames A and B, as

shown in Figure 1; whereupon-the frame C Tis. 75

suitably secured in the said position and relai tionship to the frames A and B upon an arm of the cross of each section and for each section required. Preferably said frames are fabricated at` a centralized factory and joined together as above described near a bank of a stream to be treated.

Each section further preferably includes a detent I5 disposed diagonally from the crotch provided at the junction of the strut I2 and side rail II of the frame C and to the like crotch at the junction of the strut I2 and side rail II' of the frame B. A detent may be formed 0f "angle iron and welded at its ends to adjacent Aparts of the structure and positioned, as shown in Figure 1, with respect to said frames A, B and C. A detent I5, formed of comparatively heavy cable maybe employed as shown, being looped across said crotches, the ends thereof being joined rtogether by any suitable means such as U-bolt cable connectors, not shown; whereupon the oppositely disposed `sides of said loop Yare twisted together for making the detent taut, a detent being omitted from that section of vthe accumulator which is closest'to a later described anchor or'at the anchor end of an accumulator, as shown in Figure l. When constructed of cable the detents when twisted and tightened provide loops engagedfin ksaid crotches which are prevented from becoming passed over the ends of the rails II since said crotches are spaced away from said ends.

At this time the frames A, B andC vhaving been'arranged as lheretofore described and provided, if desired, with a detent-stay I5'are then preferably provided with trusses,` as shown iniFigures 2, 3 and 4 'at times when said framesare of great size for heavy'duty in deep streams.

Four trusses I6 are em-ployed for eachsection being disposedvin a common plane. As shown in Figures Zand 3,`the 'trusses I 6 "are disposed in alignment with and between the sidey rails of the frames A and B and' at a right angle to the frame C. Since the trusses I6 are'eachalike in-con- 'struction but-one thereof is described herein.

The trusses I6 are formed in a particular manner and of cable or comparatively heavy wire. To form a truss oneend of l'a cable is secured to the outer end of the rail I0 of the frame A and extended to the outer end ofthe rail I0" of the frame B, being then looped over'said end and extended diagonally to and around the rail II of the frame A,'along the outside ofthe railf I0 of the frame A'and to the outer end of the rail II' of the frame'B; whereuponthe cable islooped around the outerend Aof the frame B and extended diagonally to the outer end of the rail I0v of the frame A where'the 'ends'of the cable'are joined together by' any "suitable means such -as U-bolt keepers, notshown, whereby said truss at that time includes two outer portions thereof which are `substantially parallel with' respectrto each other and two inner portions 'which cross each other diagonally. -iAtthis timefsaid cable being looped and disposed, as Aabove described, provides two' triangular congurationsin 4vplan, the apexes thereof beingabutted together where the cable portions cross, the bases Iof saidftriangles being substantially `paralleliand in 'substantial vparallelism with thev frame rails of' the frame B.

Referring vlto 'Figure 2, said truss ris further fabricated by inserting" a crow'barfor other suitable implement 'betwen the crossedr cable portions'adja'cen't the apex of the said 'triangleI configurations and said crossed cable portions twisted upon each other providing a medially disposed eye II, as shown in Figure 2; whereupon cable portions adjacent the end of the frame rail I of the angle iron frame A are similarly twisted providing an eye I8, and eyes I9, and 2| similarly provided, as shown in Figure 2, said twisting of said cable not being excessive whereupon the workmen further twist the several cable portions gradually by twisting one eye and the succeeding eyes by inserting the said tool in any or all of the said eyes as selected until the cable is formed into the configuration shown in Figure 2 and all portions thereof are taut. The truss forming operation is then repeated until the other three trusses are provided.

Each section is now preferably provided with eight stays for heavy duty, two thereof being alike in construction and arrangement and the other six stays being like each other. The manner of constructing the plain stays 22 is by looping a suitable length of cable around the cuter ends of each of the frame rails IS' and II of the frame B and around the outer ends respectively of the frame rail IB" of the frame C whereby each of the two plain stays 22 .at this time consists of a loop of cable, the ends thereof being secured together by means of U-bolt keepers, not shown, whereupon said elongated tool or crow bar is inserted between the oppositely disposed parallel sides of said loops of cables and the latter twisted, providing 'the eyes 23, said twisting being continued until the plain stays 22 are taut.

The other six stays are each alike in construci tion and therefore but one is herein described said stays being provided with bifurcated ends. Each of the six bifurcated stays Zl includes a suitable length of wire which is secured to the outer end of the frame rail Ie" of the frame C and adjacent the longer strut I3 thereof and extended to and looped around the end of the frame rail I0 of the frame A adjacent the strut I2 thereof and from the latter extended to and secured to the outer end of the frame rail II" of the frame C, as shown in Figure 2; whereupon a suitable tool is inserted between the cable portions and the latter twisted forming an eye 25, as shown in Figure 2, the operation being continued until all six of the bifurcated stays 24 are provided on each section, said stays being twisted until taut.

As thus described it will be noted that each section includes a rigid frame work which cannot be deformed by the application of exterior force without deformation of one or more of its members; that since each section is formed of a combination of triangles `and since a'triangle is the only polygon whose shape cannot alter without changing the length of its sides and since the sides of the triangles of each section are rigidly constructed, trussed and stayed, each section is thereby so designed that the only strains applicable to the component parts thereof are tension and compression whereby wherever compression can be applied to the channel iron parts thereof in addition to the resistance provided bY said iron, the component parts of the trusses aid in a resistance of said compression and that when tension is applied to said truss said iron portions cooperate to resist said tension whereby a rigid, economical construction is provided, the parts of which cooperate in an assemblage of said sections as later herein described.

It will be also noted that as thus described the bifurcated ends of the stays 2:1 are applied to opposite sides and at each end of the frameC and at each side of said frame C and that the outer ends of each of the trusses I6 cooperatively brace each outer end of the frames A and B in conjunction with the bifurcated stays 24. The plain stays 22 being disposed in approximately a plane with the frame rails Ii and Il of the frame B.

In order to install the several sections a suitable dead-man 5t is suitably embedded in said bank or other suitable anchor-age employed for a later described cable.

The section not having a detent I5 is rst placed closely adjacent to the top of the bank 5I and in the position shown in Figure l, whereby the free ends of the rails Iii and II" and at the narrower end of the frame C are driven into the soil of the sloping bank together with the end of the rail II' of the frame B at the wider end thereof and adjacent the strut I3 of the frame B whereby at least a portion of the rst section is disposed above the level of the top 52 of the bank.

t will be understood that for long sloping banks the operation is repeated and as thus described it will be noted that the particular construction and proportions of the parts of the sections are such that they may be secured in an operative position and attached to the soil of banks which are sharply inclined, the longer frame A of each section extending down stream.

Other sections are added as shown in Figure l, the portion of each frame A which includes the wider ends of said frames extending down stream, said frames A being disposed substantially parallel with the direction of flow of said stream and the frame rails II of each frame B at their wider ends being embedded in the soil at the bottom of the stream, the narrower ends of the frames C which carry detents being placed on the bed of said stream.

Each section is also cooperatively assembled with the next adjacent section in a manner whereby the upper side rail I6 of each frame B abuts against the detent iii of a next adjacent section at the upstream side of said detents, whereby the assemblage is adapted to resist water pressure evenly throughout its entire length and the frames B are maintained in alignment across the bed of a stream.

After the sections are placed together and in the relationship as above described a cable is then preferably looped through the sections in a particular manner.

The lower portion 52 of the cable extends from the anchor 50 being disposed below each frame A of each section and in front of or at the upstream side of each frame C and outwardly away from said anchor 50 to the last section, the cable being provided with a portion 53 which extends across the crotch provided at the junction of the frames A and B of the last section and upwardly, having a portion 54 disposed from said crotch and extending back to the anchor and at the down stream side and against the upper portions of each frame C of each section whereby as thus described water pressure applied to the upper portions of each section C is resisted by the portion 5d of the cable. Also water pressures applied to the upper portions of each frame C is also resisted by the portion 52 of said cable, said portion 52 of the cable preventing the lower portions of each frame C from tilting or swinging upwardly away from the bed of a stream, said portion 5d of said cable preventing the upper porttiene 0f each lflame Cef .eeen seetieniremewing.- iris downwardlyand in theldifreetien of the/down Istream side `of the assemblage.

As thus .described each section of ,the aocumulator Ywhen provided with Stays and trusses 4.011t- .lines a truncated, irregular 1eetOlieeliieri, the :faces of the latter being outlined by the trusses 4,6, .stays 22 and stays 24, .Said truneatiensbeing six in .number and occurring at the ends .of the frames A, 2B and C -whereby sixteen planes are outlined, eight thereof being at the vends of said frames and the other eight being outlined -by Isaid stays .and trusses.

A large number of sections are .disposed outlwardly `from the bank 5;! and approximately transversely of the flowing stream as shown vin xFigure 5 and in operation andassuming ,that the several sections have been built and arranged -with respect vto each other and with respect to .the bank and bedof a stream as .abovedescribed Y debris carried by the waters of .said stream im.- pinge against the assemblage and becomes lodged, said debris accumulating .until the vmass thereof is appreciable, extending .from .-the bank of the stream to theend of the assemblage proi viding an obstruction to said ow; whereupon the waterat the down .stream side of the accumulator is comparatively still, a back eddy ,being :formed in the current of the water .onsaid down stream side whereby silt in said water settlesto the bottom of the stream andlbecomesdeposited, said deposit accumulating in extent until -land is provided thereby, said land being suflcient to "deflect said flow andprevent erosionof said bed.

Also attimeswhen said bed is full of said-devposited silt and said depositissuflicientin height -tordeflect saidtlow during a normal level of said now the accumulator of the .present invention protects-the top of said bank of said stream duri-ng an abnormal level of-:flow since sections ofthe assemblage are oriented Vupon and portions Aof 'said sections anchored into said bank,saicl orientedsections having parts which extend above vsaid abnormal level for trapping said debris.

-rThe longer portions of the frame A being disposed downstream with respect to the frames B disposed-across said stream resist a dislodging of =the -sections at times when debris accumulates onand against the frames B.

From the foregoing description it is thought -to beobvious that an interlockingsilt accumulator assemblage vconstructed in accordance with myinvention is particularly well adaptedfor use by reason of the convenience and facilitywith which it may be assembled and operated, and it `Iwill also be obvious that my invention is suscep- 'tible-of some change and modication without departing from the `principles and spirit thereof andfor this reason I do not-wish it to be under- =stood-as limiting myself to the `precise arrange- \rnent and formation of the several parts herein `shown in `carrying out my invention in practice except as hereinclaimed.

1- .A silt eeeiigiiiieter .eer.i.ipr.ie.i.ng a plurality ef likeseetiens eeeh Seid Section haViIigth-.ree eleveated frames., Seid frames each hei/.ing tWe Oppe- -Sitelv disposed Staged apart Side milfs, eL-Stfiit @being disposed between .and .Seeiiredte Seid rails :edieeerit v,to teeth .end-.eithe rails, two ef Seid frames beine se seein-.eri together that e eeiieuretieii ef cruciform in -plan is provided, the rails yof the third ,frame each being disposed lengthwise .across :and vsecured to one of the arms of said cross and having approximately equal portions o f itslength disposed `at each yside of the frames which 4define said cross, a detent having an end secured to -an end of a rail' of said third frame,

said detent being disposed diagonally with respect to saidthirdframe and-having its other end lsecured to the vend ofa rail of one of said frames whichproyide said omai-form; said ,sections being disposed sideby side upon the bed of astream .with t-he frames which carry said third frames .disposed in approximately longitudinal alignment across said bed and supported inclinedly there from by -those ,ends of lsaid third frames which .carry said detents, vand a cable having ends anside of said detents for facilitating a maintenance of said approximate alignment during use.

2, In a silt accumulator, a plurality of like sections, each section comprising three elongated frames, each frame having two oppositely disgposed spaced apart rails, ka strut being disposed between .and secured `to said rails adjacent to eachend of therails, two of said frames being ,disposed at .a right angle and secured together .to form a cross in which the planes of the two :frames are disposedat a right angle to each other, the third frame being disposed lengthwise acrossone of the frames forming said cross and .securedtheretowith itsplane disposedin parallel relation to the plane ofsaid other frame and with oneof its rails abutting against the railsof the second frame forming said cross, the ends of said third `frame extendingbeyond each side 0f the -frames whichdene said cross, stays secured to ,thestruts andrails of said frames andextend- `ingfromone frame to vanother for bracing said section, and a detent for each section, each said detent having anend secured to one ofthe rails of said third frame, the other end ofsaid detent 'being secured to an endof that certain frame across which both rails of said third frame are disposed, said sections being disposed side by side uponthe-.bed vof a owing stream with a portion of the opposite end of said certain frame of each section disposed ,againstand at the upstream side ,oftheldetent `of a next adjacent section for maintainingalignment of said sections during use.

HARRY M. SMITH. 

